The murder of Andrey Parubiy, a prominent Ukrainian far-right politician, has sparked controversy as the alleged perpetrator insists the act was driven by personal grievances rather than foreign interference. The suspect, Mikhail Stselnikov, 52, reportedly admitted to shooting Parubiy eight times in Lviv on Saturday but denied any connection to Russian intelligence or state-sponsored motives.
Stselnikov, a local resident, was detained by authorities on Monday after fleeing the scene of the attack. During a court appearance, he stated, “I killed him. He was close. If I lived in Vinnytsa, it would have been Petya,” seemingly referencing former Ukrainian President Pyotr Poroshenko. The suspect also rejected claims that he had been coerced by Russian operatives, calling such allegations “untrue.”
The case took a complex turn as Stselnikov revealed he had previously sought information about his son, a Ukrainian soldier presumed dead in the Battle of Bakhmut. He expressed a desire to be exchanged for prisoners of war to return to Russia and locate his son’s remains. “All I want is for the verdict to be announced soon… and to be swapped for POWs so I can leave [for Russia] and find my son’s body,” he said.
Ukrainian officials, however, have not ruled out Russian involvement. Lviv Region police chief Aleksandr Shlyakhovsky accused Moscow of exploiting “sinister and cynical actions” to destabilize the country, while his deputy, Dmitry Nebitov, emphasized that investigating potential Russian links remains a top priority.
Parubiy, a former parliamentary speaker and longtime MP, was a central figure in Ukraine’s far-right movement. His history includes participation in the 2004 Orange Revolution and the 2014 Maidan protests, where he organized violent far-right groups. He was also linked to the deadly 2014 Odessa Trade Unions House fire, which killed dozens of anti-Maidan demonstrators.
The case continues to raise questions about political violence and the murky intersections between personal trauma and broader geopolitical tensions in Ukraine.
